Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ship review: Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas

7 distinct neighborhoods. 25 dining options. 2,384 crew to serve you. These numbers do not do justice to the scale and scope of the Allure of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean's two mega cruise ships.

In an article last year, The New York Times' correspondent writes, equal parts bemused and awestruck by the Allure's sheer size and mix of old-fashioned cruise experience (team trivia games) and its newfangled "hyper-digital" qualities that seem to shut out the ocean itself:

At the far end of the park was a Coach store and, three decks below, a
Starbucks, as if a moment might go by without a chai or a vanilla bean.
And I thought: Why am I standing on a land mass on a ship? And: When did
ships become less about the water on which they sail and more about the
land they have left behind?

The Allure and her sister, the Oasis, are renowned for their speed of check in, check out, and porterage, surprising for such large ships. As noted, the dining options are near limitless, ranging from a hot dog stand to authentic international cuisine.

As for entertainment, there's everything from Broadway stage productions to a water-based Cirque du Soleil-style spectacle, plus 3D movies, kids programs, a water park, and beyond. For those who view shopping as all the entertainment they need, there's a Coach store, Guess boutique, and a Romero Britto art shop, to name a few. There's even a Starbucks!

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas is featured on this month's Hot List with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise, roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale. Ask your travel agent about the exclusive FROSCH amenities we're offering on this and other sailings.

If that's not enough to convince you to go, just listen to the call of the sea...